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Skin ageing is a natural and inevitable process caused by structural and functional changes in skin cells due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors e.g. biological age and environmental exposures, respectively. Several studies have evaluated the changes in the skin microbiome with age and more recently researchers are exploring whether the skin microbiome might directly influence skin ageing.
A summary of what we know:
Immediately after birth, newborn skin is colonised by surrounding microorganisms, which have been shown to differ depending on the mode of delivery (Dominguez-Bello et al., 2010; Luna, 2020)
By 4–6 weeks after birth, infant skin microbiome structure and function significantly expand and diversify, with prominent body site specificities similar to those of the maternal skin microbiome (Chu et al., 2017; Luna, 2020)
An infants skin microbiome continues to diversify and mature throughout childhood, then during puberty, shifts to the more lipophilic Actinobacteria (Corynebacterium and Cutibacterium) due to sebum overproduction (Oh et al., 2012)
During adulthood, the skin microbial composition in healthy individuals has been found to remain largely stable until age-related physiologic changes start to occur in older individuals such as a decrease in sebum and sweat production (Oh et al., 2016; Luna, 2020)
Alongside age, gender and race/ethnicity have been found to influence the microbial community composition of skin (Li et al., 2019)
Recently, researchers have found an association between strains of C.acnes and S.epidermis and a decline in collagen in Caucasian women aged 54-60.
However further studies are required to determine whether collagen levels influence or are influenced by the skin microbiome (Zhou et al., 2023)
Our progress:
When it comes to formulating with the microbiome in mind it is important to consider the microbial composition of different age groups. We are currently working with a client to support the formulation and in vivo testing of skin care products that are tailored to restoring and maintaining the microbiomes of different age groups.
References
Chu DM, Ma J, Prince AL, Antony KM, Seferovic MD, Aagaard KM. Maturation of the infant microbiome community structure and function across multiple body sites and in relation to mode of delivery. Nat Med. 2017 Mar;23(3):314-326. doi: 10.1038/nm.4272. Epub 2017 Jan 23. PMID: 28112736; PMCID: PMC5345907.
Dominguez-Bello MG, Costello EK, Contreras M, Magris M, Hidalgo G, Fierer N, Knight R. Delivery mode shapes the acquisition and structure of the initial microbiota across multiple body habitats in newborns. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jun 29;107(26):11971-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1002601107. Epub 2010 Jun 21. PMID: 20566857; PMCID: PMC2900693.
Li M, Budding AE, van der Lugt-Degen M, Du-Thumm L, Vandeven M, Fan A. The influence of age, gender and race/ethnicity on the composition of the human axillary microbiome. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2019 Aug;41(4):371-377. doi: 10.1111/ics.12549. PMID: 31190339.
Luna PC. Skin Microbiome as Years Go By. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2020 Sep;21(Suppl 1):12-17. doi: 10.1007/s40257-020-00549-5. PMID: 32910437; PMCID: PMC7584528.
Zhou W., Fleming E., Legendre G., Roux L., Latreille J., Gendronneau G., et al. (2023). Skin microbiome attributes associate with biophysical skin ageing. Exp. Dermatol. 32 (9), 1546–1556. 10.1111/exd.14863
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